Film hanger



50 and the hanger being Patented Dec. 17, 1929 GEORGEAW. HOPKINS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO FILM HANGER Application filed September 15, 1926. Serial No.y 135,534.

This invention relates to a film hanger and particularly to a hanger for supporting X- ray films during the developing and drying operations.

rlhe main object of the invention is to provide a hanger which in general is more satisfactory than the'hangers used heretofore in the respect that it permits better developing, quicker drying, will not injure the film and holdsthe same in a 'flat condition during the developing and drying oper-ations.

More particularly it is the aim of the invention to provide a hanger which permits the film to vibrate adequately when exposed to the air and avoids the likelihood of the film being torn by the blast of air; which supports the film in does not overlap any rigid part of the hanger and,-therefore, does not cause injury to the 2o plastic i'ilmsurface and permits access of the developing, fixing and washing solutions to all portionsof the exposed surface and adequate air Contact in drying; and which at all times holds the films flat and dispenses with the necessity, so often present in the film hangers heretofore employed, of readjusting a film in the hanger to dispose of wrinkles.

In carrying out my invention a hanger is provided wherein the largest nlm for which the hanger is designed is suspended with its margin entirely inside of and clear of the frame at all points, leaving adequate space for developing and drying, the suspension of' the film in the frame being obtained through the use of flexibly supported spring clips which engage the film near its four corners and hold it under tension exerted in such a way that it is maintained fiat.

The invention may be further briefly sum- 40 marized as consisting in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be de scribed in the specification and set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Fig. l shows my improved hanger carrying a film which is, in this instance, immersed in developing solution contained in a receptacle, the receptacle being in vertical section shown in elevation;

a manner suoli that itV Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the hanger itself, the same being shown on a slightly enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the same on the same scale as in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a perl55 spective view showing a portion of one of the spring arms anda spring clip which is preferably employed and four of which are provided to hold the film at its four corners.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed that the hanger includes a rectangular frame l0 which is formed of still wire or rod and, while capable of being formed in diflerent ways, is, in this instance, composed of two parts including a U-shaped part ,65

lforming the sides and bottom of the frame and a straight top part secured to the ends of the U-shaped part/and extending beyond the sides of the latter so as to form supporting extensions lOaby which the hanger may be supported at the top or on ledges 11 near the top of a receptacle or compartment 12 which may be utilized in the developing 0peration or in drying the film. If therecep tacle is used in the developing operation, by suspending the hanger from the topof the V- receptacle as illustrated, thefilm will be immersed in the developing, fixing or washing solution which may be `contained in the receptacle, and if the hanger is suspended at the top of the drying chamber the latterwill be suitably enclosed and suitable provision will be made for passing an air blast past the film or a series of films which may be supported side by side in the chamber.

Aln addition to the wire frame 10, the hanger includes four yieldably supported clips 13 arranged adjacent but inside the four corners of the frame. These clips are preferably supported at the outer ends of a pair of spring or elastic wire arms or rods 14, one having its middle portion secured to the top bar of the frame midway between its ends and the other similarly secured to the bottom part or member of the frame. Of course, it is not necessary that the two pairs of clips at the top or bottom of the frame be supported on the free ends of the single spring rod, for, what is now shown as one spring rod may consist of two separate springrods but the present 100 itself to form two substantially arrangement has proven by extensive use to be very efficient and satisfactory and it is, therefore, preferred, the important feature being that the yieldable rods are inside the frame and support four clips adjacent the four corners of the frame with the film engaging portions of the clips inside of and spaced from the four sides of the frame.

The clips 13 may be variously constructed but in this instance each is composed of a single piece of spring metal doubled upon parallel body portions 13a, one of which has a lip 13b welded or otherwise secured to the end of one of the spring arms 14. The body portions of the clip have crossed necks 13C at the free ends of which are laterally extended flat film engaging jaws 13d which are yieldingly pressed together by the spring of the metal of which the clip is formed. One of these jaws is preferably provided at its free end with a jjirong 13e and the other with a perforation through which the point of the prong is adapted to extend to form good gripping engagement with the corner of the film. Additionally one of the body portions of the clip may have a laterally projecting finger l3f to limit relative inward movement of the two sides of the clip as they are pressed together to spread the jaws apart.

In Fig. l, I have shown at 15, a film supported in the hanger for developing or drying, or both, it being understood that the film remains undisturbed in the same hanger throughout the developing and drying operations. It will be observed that the jaws of the upper and lower spring clips engage the film close to its corners and that the film will be held flat, for, with the largest film for which the hanger is designed, the spring arms or rods 14C will be under tension, with the result that the two ripper clips pull on the upper corners upwardly and slightly outwardly, and the two lower clips pull the lower corners downwardly and slightly outwardly. F urthermore, the largest film for which the hanger is designed, lies wholly within the frame l0, so that the film is supported entirely by the clips at all points out of contact with the rigid frame l0. The result is that the film may vibrate when subjected to a blast of air without liability of tearing the film from the hanger and allows full contact with the air as well as permitting the developing solution to reach all portions of the exposed surface. Furthermore, since the film is supported wholly out of Contact with the rigid frame, the hlm surface is not injured as it would or'might be if in rubbing contact with the frame, and once the exposed film is placed in the hanger pre paratory to developing and drying, there is never any necessity of readjusting the lm in the hanger, as has been the case heretofore to dispose of wrinkles. Therefore, there is little likelihood of the film becoming torn in handling. The only areas which do not develop or dry quickly and perfectly are the very small areas under or between the jaws of the spring` clips, but these portions are outside of the subject of the film and are always trimmed off.

lWhile I have shown the preferred construction, I do not desire to be confined to the precise details shown but aim in my claim to cover all modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A clip of the character described comprising a single piece of spring metal doubled upon itself to form two substantially parallel body portions, a pair of crossed jaws formed integral with said body portions and laterally offset therefrom and normally urged toward each other, an abutment on one of said portions to thereby limit the movement of said jaws in the opposite direction, and a hook-shaped clamp formed integral with one of said body pertions and adapted to engage a support.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto allix my signature.

GEORGE IV. HOPKINS. 

